What was I thinking?
Every week, I try to keep these annotated movie listings as complete as I can, which usually just means double-checking a few websites. But this week, as I discussed at length here, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival begins, so there are a few more entries to cover. How long, I said to myself foolishly, could it take to add those to the listings?
A: I usually post this on Thursday morning. It's almost noon on a Friday.
Oh well, I've learned my lesson. Until it's time to do the listings next week, at least.
Special Screenings This Week
Friday, May 6
Mars One (2022)
The Main
A lower-class Brazilian family struggles to survive. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 1:45 p.m. Also Tuesday 7:10. More info here.
The Box (2021)
The Main
An orphan in rural Mexico is recruited to a life of crime. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2 p.m. More info here.
The Pez Outlaw (2022)
The Main
In the ’90s, when Pez dispensers are hot commodities, one man makes a killing smuggling them from eastern Europe to the U.S. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2:10 p.m. More info here.
Apples (2020)
The Main
A man must reconstruct his life after a global pandemic (again?!) causes mass amnesia. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2:20 p.m. More info here.
In Front of Your Face (2021)
The Main
In Hong Sang-soo’s latest, an actress returns to Seoul from abroad and considers a film comeback. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2:30 p.m. Also Monday 4:30. More info here.
As Far As I Can Walk (2021)
The Main
A modernized reinterpretation of a Serbian epic with Ghanaian refugees recast as the heroes. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:40 p.m. More info here.
Wolka (2021)
The Main
After serving 15 years in a Polish prison, a woman breaks parole and travels to Iceland with a mission to fulfill. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:20 p.m. Also Wednesday 9:10 p.m. More info here.
The Tale of King Crab (2021)
The Main
A 19th century Italian exile turns treasure hunter. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:30 p.m. More info here.
Fire of Love (2022)
The Main
These two volcanologists are HOT for each other. Get it? Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:45 p.m. Also Tuesday 4:20 p.m. More info here.
My Old School (2022)
The Main
For this documentary about a Scottish schoolboy whose past seems, well, exaggerated, Alan Cumming lip syncs the lad’s own words. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:50 p.m. More info here.
The Janes (2022)
The Main
All-too-timely doc about a pre-Roe network of Chicago women who helped others get abortions. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 6:50 p.m. Also Saturday 1:45 p.m. More info here.
The Art of Making It (2021)
The Main
This doc asks: Could the art world itself be a major barrier to artistic creativity? Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7 p.m. Also Saturday 4:15 p.m. More info here.
The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future (2022)
The Main
A long-dead woman arises from a poisoned river in Chile. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:15 p.m. Also Saturday 6:40 p.m. More info here.
Raise Your Hand (2021)
The Main
A coming of age story about two friends set in Minneapolis. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:10 p.m. Also Sunday 7 p.m. More info here.
Millie Lies Low (2021)
The Main
Ashamed of missing her big flight to NYC, a New Zealand woman fakes a big adventure on social media. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:20 p.m. More info here.
Shorts Program 4: Dystopian Chills
The Main
The darker side of the Film Festival’s short films. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 9:30 p.m. More info here.
Anonymous Club (2021)
The Main
A very intimate 16 mm look at rocker Courtney Barnett’s private life. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 9:35 p.m. More info here.
Medusa (2022)
The Main
In dystopian Brazil, a gang of masked influencers patrols the streets, assaulting any other women they consider “sinful.” Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 9:40 p.m. Also Monday, 1:45 p.m. More info here.
Zalava (2021)
The Main
In an Iranian village, a police official tries to protect a doctor accused of being possessed by a demon. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 9:50 p.m. Also Monday 4:45. More info here.
Hinterland (2021)
The Main
A disillusioned former cop searches for a murderer in 1920s Vienna. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 9:45 p.m. More info here.
Scream It Off Screen
Parkway Theater
Vote for your favorite local short films by screaming. You will not believe how fun this is. $10/$12. 8 p.m. More info here.
Godzilla (1954)
Trylon
The original is still the greatest. $8. Friday-Saturday 7 & 9 p.m. Sunday 3 & 5 p.m. More info here.
A Night of Knowing Nothing (2021)
Walker Art Center
Sounds like a typical Friday night for your mcm. Also Saturday. $10-$12. 7 p.m. More info here.
Saturday, May 7
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Alamo Drafthouse
Abortion subplot gonna hit different now. $10. 5:10 p.m. More info here.
Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks (2000)
Landmark Center
Veteran local filmmaker Craig Laurence Rice’s documentary tribute to the St. Paul visual master. Part of MSPIFF. $5. 1 p.m. More info here.
Rickshaw Girl (2021)
The Main
When painting rickshaws is no longer enough to help support her family, a Bangladeshi girl leaves for the big city. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 11 a.m. Also Monday 1:40 p.m. More info here.
Exposure (2022)
The Main
An all-woman team voyages to the North Pole. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 11:15 a.m. More info here.
Broken Keys (2020)
The Main
A Syrian musician must sell his piano so he can escape ISIS. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 11:30 a.m. Also Tuesday, 7 p.m., at the Landmark Center. More info here.
Spaceboy (2020)
The Main
A Belgian boy thinks he can travel to space in a DIY ship. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 11:40 a.m. More info here.
Bring Her Home (2022)
The Main
Three Indigenous women bring attention to victims of human trafficking. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 1:30 p.m. More info here.
The Strangest Girl in the World (2021)
The Main
A young artist’s illustrations start to come to life. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 1:40 p.m. More info here.
Juniper (2021)
The Main
A depressed boy unexpectedly bonds with his grandmother. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2 p.m. More info here.
Nelly and Nadine (2022)
The Main
The (documentary) story of two women who fall in love in a concentration camp toward the end of WWII. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2:10 p.m. Also Wednesday 2:10 p.m .More info here.
A Winter Love (2021)
The Main
An offbeat love story from local director/writer Rhiana Yazzie, who also stars. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4 p.m. More info here.
Happening (2021)
The Main
A young French woman struggles to get an abortion in the 1960s. Part of MSPIFF. 4:10 p.m. Also Tuesday 4:40 p.m. More info here.
Goodbye Happiness (2021)
The Main
Four estranged brothers reunite after their father’s death. Part of MSPIFF. 4:40 p.m. Also Wednesday 6:50 p.m. More info here.
Yung Punx: A Punk Parable (2021)
The Main
Will this pre-teen pop-punk band succeed? Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:45 p.m. More info here.
Montana Story (2021)
The Main
A brother and sister return to their father’s ranch after he falls into a coma, and they don’t see eye to eye about the future. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 6:30 p.m. Also Wednesday 4:30 p.m. More info here.
The Territory (2022)
The Main
A documentary about the struggle of indigenous people to save the Amazon rainforest. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 6:45 p.m. More info here.
Good Boss (2021)
The Main
There’s no such thing. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 6:50 p.m. More info here.
Shorts Program 10: Home Grown Drama
Local shorts, on the seriouser side. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7 p.m. More info here.
Girl Picture (2022)
The Main
A Finnish coming of age story about two teen girls, with a queer twist. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 9 p.m. Also Wednesday 4:20 p.m. More info here.
Casablanca Beats (2021)
The Main
Moroccan teens learn to rap. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 9:20 p.m. Also Wednesday 7:10 p.m. More info here.
Sinkhole (2021)
The Main
The titular pitfall threatens a Korean family’s new home. Oh no! Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 9:30 p.m. Also Wednesday 1:45 p.m. More info here.
She Will (2021)
The Main
A woman recovering from a double mastectomy in Scotland on a site where women accused of witchcraft were buried, and she feels strangely compelled to avenge them. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 9:40 p.m. Also Wednesday 9:20 p.m. More info here.
Flux Gourmet (2022)
The Main
“Performance artists work night and day as ‘sonic caterers,’ extracting disturbing noises from food.” Hmm… good gross or bad gross? Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 9:45 p.m. More info here.
Treasure Planet (2002)
Parkway Theater
A movie that asks the question: What if Treasure Island was a planet? 1 p.m. $5-$10. More info here.
Sunday, May 8
Mamma Mia! (2008)
Alamo Drafthouse
Oh, that’s right, it’s Mother’s Day. $10 12:15 p.m. More info here.
To the End (2022)
Capri Theater
A look at the young people fighting for the Green New Deal. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4 p.m. More info here.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Emagine Willow Creek
OK, this one actually may take place in the Multiverse of Madness. Also Wednesday. $7.95. 12:30 & 5 p.m. More info here.
The Learning Tree (1969)
Landmark Center
Gordon Parks’ classic Black Midwestern coming-of-age story. Part of MSPIFF. $5. 3 p.m. More info here.
Persian Lessons (2020)
The Main
In occupied France, a Jewish man convinces the Nazis that he’s actually Persian. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 11:30 a.m. More info here.
Dear Future Children (2021)
The Main
A documentary look at three young activists from different countries. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 11:40 a.m. More info here.
The Crossing (2021)
The Main
An animated drama about two children separated from their parents when their village is looted. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 11:45 a.m. Also Wednesday 4:15 p.m. More info here.
Midwives (2022)
The Main
Two midwives from different religious backgrounds work together in conflict-riven Myanmar. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 11:50 a.m. More info here.
Shankar’s Fairies (2021)
The Main
A loyal butler in ’60s India is torn between his duty to his employers and to his family. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. Noon. Also Tuesday 1:50 p.m. More info here.
Karmalink (2021)
The Main
In futuristic Cambodia, a boy believes his dreams are memories of his past lives. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 1:45 p.m. More info here.
Shorts Program 5: The Political Is Personal
The Main
Damn straight it is. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 1:50 p.m. More info here.
Ninjababy (2021)
The Main
A pregnant young cartoonist’s drawings come to life. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2 p.m. Also Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. More info here.
107 Mothers (2021)
The Main
That’s just too many mothers, imo. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2:15 p.m. More info here.
We Feed People (2022)
The Main
Chef José Andrés thinks he can feed the world. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2:30 p.m. More info here.
Glob Lessons (2021)
The Main
A shy, closeted Minnesotan and a wild West Virginian tour the upper midwest as part of a children’s theater company. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:15 p.m. Also Wednesday 9:25 p.m. More info here.
The First Death of Joana (2021)
The Main
A Brazilian teen investigates her family secrets. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:20 p.m. More info here.
Shorts Program 6: Family Love
The Main
For Mother’s Day. Makes sense. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:30 p.m. More info here.
Greener Pastures (2021)
The Main
An Israeli widower grows weed for the fellow residents of his nursing home. Aged hilarity ensues. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:35 p.m. More info here.
Klondike (2022)
The Main
A Ukrainian family stays put despite Russian violence. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:40 p.m. Also Tuesday 4:45 p.m. More info here.
The Emigrants (2021)
The Main
A reimagining of the classic story of Swedes coming to America, told from the wife’s perspective. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 6:40 p.m. More info here.
Kendra and Beth (2022)
The Main
They’re opposites. Will they attract? Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7 p.m. More info here.
Let It Be Morning (2021)
The Main
A satirical look at the status of Palestinians in Israel. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:15 p.m. More info here.
Mama Bears (2022)
The Main
Evangelical moms defend their LGBTQ+ children. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:30 p.m. More info here.
Whether the Weather Is Fine (2021)
The Main
Love a good titular homonym. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:40 p.m. More info here.
Le Bonheur (1965)
Trylon
Charming and colorful on the surface, bitter and horrifying underneath. $8. 7 p.m. Also Monday-Tuesday 7 & 8:45 p.m. More info here.
Monday, May 9
Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter (1984)
Emagine Willow Creek
Jason has been defeated for good. Finally! $6. 7:30 p.m. More info here.
Alegría (2021)
Landmark Center
A Spanish woman revisits her Jewish roots when she hosts her niece’s wedding. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7 p.m. More info here.
As in Heaven (2021)
The Main
A teen girl in rural 1800s Denmark strives to be the first in her family to go to school. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 1:50 p.m. More info here.
Lo Invisible (2021)
The Main
A woman suffering from postpartum depression feels trapped. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2 p.m. More info here.
The Long Breakup (2020)
The Main
A Ukrainian expatriate’s look at the long history of turmoil in her homeland. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2:10 p.m. More info here.
Commitment Hasan (2021)
The Main
An Anatolian farmer must confront his past as he plans for his pilgrimage to Mecca. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4 p.m. More info here.
Ripples of Life (2021)
The Main
The effects of a film being made in a small Chinese town, as seen through the stories of four different characters Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:15 p.m. Also Wednesday 9:15 p.m. More info here.
Exposing Muybridge (2021)
The Main
A look at the man who set the stage for moving pictures—and got away with murder. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:20 p.m. Also Tuesday, 1:45 p.m. More info here.
Neighbours (2021)
The Main
An antisemitic new teacher arrives in a Syrian border town. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7 p.m. More info here.
Both Sides of the Blade (2022)
The Main
Both sides? In this economy? Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:10 p.m. More info here.
Shorts Program 2: Environmental Experimental
The Main
A selection of stylistically adventurous looks at our changing natural world. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:15 p.m. More info here.
Hard Shell, Soft Shell (2021)
The Main
A French oyster farmer’s marriage proposal goes awry. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:20 p.m. More info here.
Valiant! A Car, a Cause, and the Cold War (2022)
The Main
My first car was a Dodge Dart, very similar to the Plymouth Valiant. And that was during the Cold War. So I can relate. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:30 p.m. More info here.
Tuesday, May 10
The Best of Love, Death + Robots (2022)
Alamo Drafthouse
A showcase of the first two seasons of the Tim Miller/David Fincher series, with a preview of the third. $7. 9 p.m. More info here.
Mission: Joy - Finding Happiness in Troubled Times (2021)
Capri Theater
A documentary exploring the friendship between Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7 p.m. More info here.
Sweet Disaster (2021)
Landmark Center
A pregnant woman has a plan to win her boyfriend back. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:30 p.m. More info here.
The Replacement (2021)
The Main
Not a music biopic. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 1:40 p.m. More info here.
Tigre Gente (2021)
The Main
A tense documentary about how jaguar teeth are illegally smuggled from South America into China. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2 p.m. More info here.
Magnetic Beats (2021)
The Main
Two brothers in ’80s Europe fall for electronic dance music—and the same girl. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2:10 p.m. More info here.
Carajita (2021)
The Main
The relationship between a wealthy girl and her nanny is more strained than it seems. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:30 p.m. More info here.
The Pact (2021)
The Main
Aging author Karen Blixen promises a young poet literary fame if he obeys her completely. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:50 p.m. More info here.
Benediction (2021)
The Main
Terence Davies’s biopic explores the life of WWI poet Siegfried Sassoon. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7 p.m. More info here.
Shorts Collection 3: Comedy Collection
The Main
Self-explanatory, no? Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:15 p.m. More info here.
Everybody Hates Johan (2022)
The Main
That’s not nice. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:20 p.m. More info here.
The Long Haul (2022)
The Main
Minnesota’s first critical Covid case battles for recovery and begins training for an Ironman triathlon. So, this movie will make me feel like a big loser. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:30 p.m. Also Wednesday 4:45 p.m. More info here.
Wednesday, May 11
Beba (2021)
Capri Theater
An autobiographical doc of a young Afro-Latina woman researching her family’s past. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:30 p.m. More info here.
Saloum (2021)
Capri Theater
A gang of West African mercenaries carrying a stash of stolen gold hide out in a weird resort town after their plane crashes, resulting in “84 minutes of pure African genre mayhem.” Hell yeah. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7 p.m. More info here.
Secret Movie Night
Emagine Willow Creek
I got to pick one of these once! $10. 7 p.m. More info here.
Utama (2022)
The Main
Climate change threatens the livelihood of a Bolivian family. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 1:40 p.m. More info here.
Wildhood (2021)
The Main
A Two Spirit teen searches for his mom. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 1:50 p.m. More info here.
Back Then (2021)
The Main
A comic, nostalgic look back at family life in… ’80s Poland? Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 2 p.m. More info here.
Tantura (2022)
The Main
Was there a military massacre in 1948 covered up by the Israeli government? Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 4:40 p.m. More info here.
Shorts Program 3: Comedy Collection
The Main
You gotta laugh sometimes. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 6:45 p.m. More info here.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021)
The Main
Remember this little guy? He’s got a whole movie now. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7 p.m. More info here.
Jasmine Is a Star (2022)
The Main
A Minneapolis teen with albinism wants to become a supermodel. Part of MSPIFF. $8-$15. 7:15 p.m. More info here.
Hang Up Your Phone (2022)
Trylon
Chris Castino of The Big Wu makes a bluegrass album during lockdown. $12. 7 p.m. More info here.
Opening This Week
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Are you sure Bronco Henry done it this way?
Petite Maman
Her lip gloss be, comment dit-on, “poppin’”.
Ongoing in Local Theaters
The Bad Guys
The Duke
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Father Stu
The Lost City (read our review here)
Memory
The Northman
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent